KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 7, 2025

A team of Kennesaw State University students has spent the past year researching the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on female academics who are also mothers, as part of the First-Year Scholars project titled “Women@Work in Higher Education: Barriers and Opportunities for Current and Future Women Leaders.” The project, led by the SGIA professor Dr. Jennifer Purcell, includes undergraduates Hannah Anderson, Kyndall Moore, Ana Luisa De Almeida Santos Onofre, and graduate assistant Morgan Grant. 

In February, the team presented their findings at the Georgia Association for Women in Higher Education Conference, receiving positive feedback for their work. The research builds on earlier efforts by Purcell and Dr. Darlene Xiomara Rodriguez, who began monitoring the effects of the pandemic on women in academia in 2020. Their work identified key trends like the “she-cession”—a wave of career disruption and withdrawal from the workforce among women, especially those balancing caregiving and professional responsibilities. 

The students analyzed interviews, community forums, and literature to better understand the long-term career impacts on women faculty. They learned valuable skills in qualitative research, coding data, and identifying patterns of professional disengagement during systemic disruption. 

Participants say the experience has deepened their understanding of both research and real-world gender equity issues. Anderson explored the emotional effects of isolation during the pandemic, while Onofre noted the importance of strong research skills in combating misinformation and informing policy change.